"What have you got against Mr. Rayton?" she demanded.
"Nothing," replied David. "Nothing at all, mother. I don't know anything about him, good or bad. But it's easy enough to be polite, I guess—and it don't cost anything."
The mother sighed and smiled at the same time. "If it's so easy," she said, "then I wish more folks about here would try it."
David drained his cup, and got to his feet. "Well, I must hustle along, mother," he said. "I've got to run over to Harley's before I load up for Teakettle Brook."
"Jim goin' with you?"
"No. Oh, no!"
"You wouldn't go callin' on a young lady this time in the morning, surely?"
"Oh, quit your fooling, mother! I've simply got to speak to Nell this morning."
The moment the door had shut behind David, Mrs. Marsh went to the foot of the stairs. "Wake up, pa!" she called.
"Wake up!" repeated a voice from above bitterly. "Bless my soul, I've been awake an hour and up this last fifteen minutes; but I'm stuck for want of my pants! D'ye expect me to chase 'round in the mud in my Sunday-go-to-meetin's, ma?"